TWI616908B - Wireless charging station - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention provides a wireless charging system. The wireless charging system includes a transmitter and a receiver. The transmitter is formed by a wire coil including a first loop part, a second loop part and a cross part. The cross section is electrically coupled to the first loop section and the second loop section so that when a current is generated in the coil, the current flows through the first loop in a different rotation direction than the second loop section Circuit part. The receiver is formed by a ferromagnetic core and a plurality of (eg, three) coils arranged around the ferromagnetic core. Each coil can be placed around a different axis of the core so that current can be induced by a magnetic field in any direction in at least one of the coils.

Description

Wireless charging station Cross-reference of related applications

This application claims the rights and interests of US Provisional Application No. 62 / 180,553 filed on June 16, 2015, which is hereby incorporated by reference for all purposes.

Electronic devices (eg, mobile phones, media players, electronic watches, and the like) operate when electric charges are stored in their batteries. When the electronic device is coupled to the power source (eg, via a charging cable), the battery is charged. However, using the charging cable to charge the battery in the electronic device requires the electronic device to be physically connected to the power outlet. In areas where there are many devices being charged, there may be large, cluttered cables that can be tangled easily. In addition, using the charging cable requires that the mobile device has a socket configured to pair with the charging cable. The socket is usually a cavity in an electronic device, which provides a channel through which dust and moisture can invade and damage the device. In addition, the user of the electronic device must physically connect the charging cable to the socket in order to charge the battery.

To avoid these shortcomings, wireless charging stations have been developed to charge electronic devices wirelessly. The electronic device can be charged by merely parking on the charging surface of the charging station. The magnetic field generated by the transmitter disposed below the charging surface can induce a corresponding current in the receiver with the corresponding inductance coil. The induced current can be used by the electronic device to charge the internal battery.

Existing wireless charging systems have several disadvantages. For example, the wireless charging surface needs To be placed in a specific charging area on top of the transmitter coil embedded below the surface. This requires the electronic device to be placed in a very specific area on the charging surface. If the electronic device is placed outside the charging area, the electronic device may not be charged wirelessly due to the absence of a magnetic field. In addition, because the single-axis magnetic field requires the transmitter and receiver coils to be placed on parallel planes, the electronic device must be positioned in a specific orientation (eg, the back of the device rests on the surface) in order to be charged.

Embodiments provide transmitters, receivers, and systems for wireless charging. The embodiments further provide a method of making a receiver and a method of wireless charging.

In some embodiments, an array of transmitter coils may be disposed below a charging surface. The transmitter coil array can generate a time-varying magnetic field across most of the charging surface. The magnetic fields can provide power to the multi-dimensional receiver coil by inducing electric current in a multi-dimensional receiver coil of a dock (or electronic device) positioned at almost any position on the surface and in any orientation Docking station (or electronic device).

In some embodiments, a wireless charging transmitter includes a coil configured to transmit power. The coil may include a first loop part, a second loop part and a cross part. The crossing portion may include an overlapping conductive path electrically coupling the first loop portion and the second loop portion. The first loop portion and the second loop portion can be electrically coupled so that when a current is generated in the coil, the current flows through the first loop portion in a first direction of rotation and is different from the first A second direction of rotation flows through the second circuit portion.

In some embodiments, a wireless charging transmitter includes: a coil configured to transmit power, the coil including a first loop portion; a second loop portion; and a crossing portion, including overlapping conductive paths, the The equal overlapping conductive paths are electrically coupled to the first loop part and the second loop part, so that when a current is generated in the coil, the current flows through the first loop part in a first rotation direction, and according to With the first rotating side It flows through the second circuit part in the opposite second rotation direction.

The first circuit portion and the second circuit portion may be characterized by substantially the same shape and size. In some embodiments, when the current is generated in the coil, a first magnetic field can be generated by the current flowing through the first loop portion, the first magnetic field is characterized by a first direction; and a second The magnetic field can be generated by the current flowing through the second loop portion. The second magnetic field is characterized by a second direction different from the first direction. An angle formed between the first direction and the second direction may be at least 135 degrees. In some embodiments, the first direction and the second direction may extend in opposite directions. The cross section may be a first cross section, and wherein the transmitter may further include a second coil configured to transmit power, the second coil includes: a third loop section; a fourth loop section; and A second intersection portion, which includes overlapping conductive paths, the overlapping conductive paths electrically coupling the third loop portion and the fourth loop portion so that when a current is generated in the second coil, the current depends on The first rotation direction flows through the third circuit portion, and flows through the fourth circuit portion according to the second rotation direction. When the current is generated in the first coil and the second coil, a bridge magnetic field can be generated in a region between the first coil and the second coil. In some embodiments, the bridging magnetic field may bend between the second loop portion and the third loop portion. The bridging magnetic field can be bent from the second loop portion to the third loop portion in an orientation. In certain embodiments, the bridging magnetic field can be bent from the third loop portion to the second loop portion in an orientation. The second coil may overlap at least a portion of the first coil. In some embodiments, the first loop portion may have a first horizontal portion and a first vertical portion, and the second loop portion may have a second horizontal portion and a second vertical portion. The first horizontal portion may extend above the second vertical portion, and wherein the second horizontal portion extends below the first vertical portion.

In some embodiments, a wireless charging receiver includes: a first coil positioned relative to a first axis; a second coil positioned relative to a second axis, the second axis being The first axis extends in one direction; and a ferromagnetic junction It is located adjacent to the first coil and the second coil.

The wireless charging receiver may further include a third coil disposed relative to a third axis, the third axis may extend in a direction different from the first axis and the second axis. The second axis may extend in a direction between 45 degrees and 135 degrees from the first axis, and the third axis may follow a direction between 45 degrees and 135 degrees in the first axis and the second axis extend. In some embodiments, the second axis may be perpendicular to the first axis, and the third axis may be perpendicular to the first axis and the second axis. The first coil may be placed around the ferromagnetic structure, and the second coil may be placed around the ferromagnetic structure and the first coil. In some embodiments, the third coil may be disposed around the ferromagnetic structure, the first coil, and the second coil. The wireless charging receiver may further include a first insulating layer disposed between the ferromagnetic structure and the first coil, a second insulating layer disposed between the first coil and the second coil, and positioning A third insulating layer between the second coil and the third coil. The first coil may be positioned along the first axis, and the second coil may be positioned along the second axis. In some embodiments, both the first coil and the second coil each include two loop portions. The ferromagnetic structure may be a shielded disc positioned above the first coil and the second coil.

In a specific embodiment, a method of manufacturing a wireless charging receiver includes: providing a ferromagnetic structure; forming a first insulating layer around the ferromagnetic structure; forming a first coil on the first insulating layer, the The first coil is placed around a first axis of the ferromagnetic structure; a second insulating layer is formed on the exposed surface of the first coil and the first insulating layer; a second coil is formed on the second insulating layer , The second coil is disposed around a second axis of the ferromagnetic structure, and the second axis is substantially perpendicular to the first axis; a first is formed on the exposed surface of the second coil and the second insulating layer Three insulating layers; and a third coil formed on the third insulating layer, the third coil is disposed around a third axis of the ferromagnetic structure, and the third axis is substantially perpendicular to the first axis and the first Two axes.

In some embodiments, forming the first coil, the second coil, and the third coil each includes depositing a patterned layer of conductive material. The first insulating layer can be formed by fusing the first set of two halves together over the ferromagnetic structure, wherein the second set of two halves can be fused together to the first insulating layer and the first insulating layer The second insulating layer is formed above a coil, and the third insulating layer can be formed by fusing a third set of two halves together over the second insulating layer and the second coil.

In some embodiments, a wireless charging system includes: a transmitter assembly including: a charging surface; and a plurality of transmitter coils disposed below the charging surface. The plurality of coils includes: a first transmitter coil and a second transmitter coil configured to transmit power, when driven by current, the first coil generates a first magnetic field and a second magnetic field and the second coil generates A third magnetic field and a fourth magnetic field, the first transmitter coil and the second transmitter coil form a bridge magnetic field disposed between the first transmitter coil and the second transmitter coil; and a receiver assembly . The receiver assembly includes: a first coil positioned relative to a first axis; a second coil positioned relative to a second axis, the second axis being different from the first axis Direction extending; and a ferromagnetic structure, which is positioned adjacent to the first coil and the second coil.

The wireless charging system may further include a third receiver coil disposed relative to a third axis, the third axis being substantially perpendicular to the first axis and the second axis. The charging surface may be substantially planar. The charging surface may include a curved area. In some embodiments, the bridging magnetic field may bend between the second magnetic field and the third magnetic field. A fifth magnetic field can be bridged between the two loop parts of the first transmitter coil, and a sixth magnetic field can be bridged between the two loop parts of the second coil. Each transmitter coil may have a length and a width, where the length may be related to a dimension of the charging surface. The length can be twice the width.

In some embodiments, a wireless charging station includes: a top having an upper surface on which one or more electronic devices can be placed; a wireless charging transmitter, which is Located below the upper surface of the top of the stage, the wireless charging transmitter includes a plurality of transmitter coils defining a charging area at the upper surface of the top of the stage, the plurality of transmitters including at least a first transmitter coil The coil includes: a first loop portion; a second loop portion; and a crossing portion, which include overlapping conductive paths that electrically couple the first loop portion and the second loop portion so that when When a current is generated in the first transmitter coil, the current flows through the first loop portion according to a first rotation direction, and flows through the second rotation direction in a second rotation direction opposite to the first rotation direction A loop portion; and a power distribution system operatively coupled to the wireless charging transmitter, the power distribution system is configured to receive power from an alternating current (AC) power source and distribute the power to the wireless charging transmitter.

When the current can be generated in the first transmitter coil: a first magnetic field can be generated by the current flowing through the first loop portion, the first magnetic field is characterized by a first direction; and a second magnetic field can be The current flowing through the second loop portion is generated, and the second magnetic field is characterized by a second direction different from the first direction. In some embodiments, an angle formed between the first direction and the second direction may be at least 135 degrees. The cross section may be a first cross section, and wherein the plurality of transmitter coils further includes a second coil configured to transmit power, the second coil includes: a third loop section; a fourth loop section ; And a second intersection portion, which includes overlapping conductive paths that electrically couple the third loop portion and the fourth loop portion electrically so that when a current can be generated in the second coil, The current flows through the third loop portion according to the first rotation direction; and flows through the fourth loop portion according to the second rotation direction. When the current is generated in the first transmitter coil and the second coil, a bridge magnetic field bridge can be generated in a region between the first transmitter coil and the second coil. The bridge magnetic field can be bent between the second loop portion and the third loop portion. In some embodiments, the first loop portion may have a first horizontal portion and a first vertical portion, and the second loop portion may have a second horizontal portion and a second vertical portion. This first level can be found in The second vertical portion extends above, and the second horizontal portion may extend below the first vertical portion. The power distribution system may include a controller configured to communicate with one of the one or more electronic devices.

In some embodiments, a wireless charging receiver for interacting with a wireless charging retail station includes: a first coil positioned relative to a first axis; and a second coil positioned relative to a second axis And arranged, the second axis extends in a direction different from the first axis; and a ferromagnetic structure, which is positioned adjacent to the first coil and the second coil, wherein the first coil and the second coil And the ferromagnetic structure is configured to receive the magnetic field generated by a transmitter of the wireless charging retail station.

The wireless charging receiver can be wrapped in a docking station. The docking station can be configured to park on one of the charging surfaces of the wireless charging retail station. The docking station can be configured to connect to an electronic device to provide power to the electronic device. The wireless charging receiver may further include a third coil disposed relative to a third axis, the third axis extending in a direction different from the first axis and the second axis. The second axis may extend in a direction between 45 degrees and 135 degrees from the first axis, and the third axis may follow a direction between 45 degrees and 135 degrees in the first axis and the second axis extend. The second axis may be perpendicular to the first axis, and the third axis may be perpendicular to the first axis and the second axis.

In some embodiments, a wireless charging system includes: a top having an upper surface on which one or more electronic devices can be placed; and a wireless charging transmitter positioned below the upper surface on the top of the table The wireless charging transmitter includes a plurality of transmitter coils defining a charging area at the upper surface of the top of the stage, and the plurality of transmitter coils including at least a first transmitter coil includes: a first loop portion; A second loop portion; and a crossing portion, which include overlapping conductive paths that electrically couple the first loop portion and the second loop portion so that when generated in the first transmitter coil When a current flows, the current flows through the first loop portion according to a first rotation direction, and flows through the second rotation direction according to a second rotation direction opposite to the first rotation direction Loop portion; and a power distribution system operatively coupled to the wireless charging transmitter, the power distribution system can be configured to receive power from an alternating current (AC) power source and distribute the power to the wireless charging transmitter . The wireless charging system also includes a wireless charging receiver. The wireless charging receiver includes: a first coil positioned relative to a first axis; a second coil positioned relative to a second axis, the The second axis extends in a direction different from the first axis; and a ferromagnetic structure, which is positioned adjacent to the first coil and the second coil, wherein the first coil, the second coil and the ferromagnetic The structure is configured to receive the magnetic field generated by the plurality of transmitter coils.

The wireless charging system may also include a plurality of sensors configured to detect the presence of one of the electronic devices. The power distribution system may include a controller coupled to the plurality of sensors and the plurality of transmitter coils. The controller may be configured to selectively power one or more transmitter coils in response to the detected presence of the electronic device. The wireless charging receiver can be wrapped in a docking station.

Reference may be made to the following detailed description and accompanying drawings for a better understanding of the nature and advantages of embodiments of the present invention.

100‧‧‧Wireless charging station

102‧‧‧Charging surface

104-1‧‧‧Transmitter

104-2‧‧‧Transmitter

104-3‧‧‧Transmitter

104-N‧‧‧Transmitter

106-1‧‧‧Transmitter

106-2‧‧‧Transmitter

106-3‧‧‧Transmitter

106-N‧‧‧Transmitter

108‧‧‧Charging area

110‧‧‧ charging area

112‧‧‧Receiving device

116‧‧‧Receiving device

200‧‧‧Transmitter

202‧‧‧coil

204‧‧‧ First circuit part

206‧‧‧Second circuit part

208‧‧‧Intersection

210‧‧‧Current

212‧‧‧Counterclockwise current flow

214‧‧‧ clockwise current flow

216‧‧‧First magnetic field

218‧‧‧ Second magnetic field

220‧‧‧Bridge

222‧‧‧Transmitter

224‧‧‧coil

226‧‧‧The first circuit part

228‧‧‧Second circuit part

301‧‧‧The first coil

302‧‧‧second coil

304‧‧‧The first circuit part

306‧‧‧Second circuit part

308‧‧‧born the first magnetic field

310‧‧‧The second magnetic field

312‧‧‧The third circuit part

314‧‧‧The fourth circuit part

316‧‧‧

318‧‧‧ current

320‧‧‧Current

322‧‧‧third magnetic field

324‧‧‧ Fourth magnetic field

326‧‧‧

328‧‧‧Part

331‧‧‧coil

332‧‧‧coil

401‧‧‧ First coil

402‧‧‧second coil

404‧‧‧The first circuit part

406‧‧‧Second circuit part

408‧‧‧The first circuit part

410‧‧‧The second circuit part

412‧‧‧Differential coil

414‧‧‧Differential coil

500‧‧‧Charge structure

502‧‧‧Charging surface

503‧‧‧top

504a‧‧‧Transmission coil

504b‧‧‧Transmission coil

504c‧‧‧Transmission coil

504d‧‧‧Transmission coil

505‧‧‧Leg

506‧‧‧Charge width

512a‧‧‧magnetic field

512b‧‧‧magnetic field

512c‧‧‧ magnetic field

512d‧‧‧magnetic field

514a‧‧‧magnetic field

514b‧‧‧magnetic field

514c‧‧‧magnetic field

514d‧‧‧magnetic field

600‧‧‧Receiver

602‧‧‧ First coil

604‧‧‧second coil

606‧‧‧ third coil

608‧‧‧Core

610‧‧‧thickness

612‧‧‧Width

614‧‧‧Length

620‧‧‧Receiver

622‧‧‧The first coil

624‧‧‧The second coil

626‧‧‧ third coil

628‧‧‧Core

710‧‧‧Receiver

711‧‧‧ Receiver

712‧‧‧ First coil

712a‧‧‧yuan

712b‧‧‧yuan

712c‧‧‧yuan

712d‧‧‧yuan

714‧‧‧second coil

714a‧‧‧yuan

714b‧‧‧yuan

714c‧‧‧yuan

714d‧‧‧yuan

716‧‧‧ third coil

716a‧‧‧yuan

716b‧‧‧yuan

716c‧‧‧yuan

716d‧‧‧yuan

718‧‧‧The first circuit part

720‧‧‧Second circuit part

722‧‧‧The first circuit part

724‧‧‧Second circuit part

726‧‧‧Shield disk

728‧‧‧ First axis

730‧‧‧Second axis

732‧‧‧ Third axis

734‧‧‧ First coil

736‧‧‧second coil

740‧‧‧ First circuit part

742‧‧‧Second circuit part

744‧‧‧The first circuit part

746‧‧‧ Second circuit part

805a‧‧‧Transmitter coil

805b‧‧‧Transmitter coil

805c‧‧‧Transmitter coil

807a‧‧‧Circuit part

807b‧‧‧Circuit part

809a‧‧‧magnetic field

809b‧‧‧magnetic field

809c‧‧‧magnetic field

809d‧‧‧magnetic field

809e‧‧‧magnetic field

811‧‧‧Charging surface

901a‧‧‧Receiver

901b‧‧‧Receiver

901c‧‧‧Receiver

902a‧‧‧Receiver coil

902b‧‧‧ Receiver coil

902c‧‧‧ Receiver coil

904a‧‧‧Receiver coil

904b‧‧‧Receiver coil

904c‧‧‧Receiver coil

905a‧‧‧Transmitter coil

905b‧‧‧Transmitter coil

905c‧‧‧Transmitter coil

905d‧‧‧Transmitter coil

905e‧‧‧Transmitter coil

905f‧‧‧Transmitter coil

905g‧‧‧Transmitter coil

905h‧‧‧Transmitter coil

907a‧‧‧Circuit part

907b‧‧‧Circuit part

908a‧‧‧Core

908b‧‧‧Core

908c‧‧‧Core

909a‧‧‧magnetic field

909b‧‧‧magnetic field

911‧‧‧Charging surface

912a‧‧‧Charging area

912b‧‧‧Charging area

1004‧‧‧Electronic device

1005a‧‧‧sensor

1005b‧‧‧sensor

1005c‧‧‧sensor

1005d‧‧‧sensor

1005e‧‧‧sensor

1005f‧‧‧sensor

1005g‧‧‧sensor

1005h‧‧‧sensor

1006‧‧‧Electronic device

1007‧‧‧Power distribution system

1020‧‧‧Controller

1021‧‧‧AC power supply

1022a‧‧‧Sensor

1022b‧‧‧Sensor

1022c‧‧‧Sensor

1022d‧‧‧sensor

1022e‧‧‧sensor

1022f‧‧‧sensor

1022g‧‧‧sensor

1022h‧‧‧sensor

1102‧‧‧Stacked conveyor

1104‧‧‧ First transmitter coil

1106‧‧‧The second transmitter coil

1202‧‧‧Stacked conveyor

1203‧‧‧Ferrite shield

1204‧‧‧The first transmitter coil

1205‧‧‧Flexible substrate

1206‧‧‧The second transmitter coil

1208‧‧‧Receiver

1210‧‧‧The location of the first receiver

1212‧‧‧Second receiver position

1214‧‧‧ Location of the third receiver

1300‧‧‧Stacked receiver

1302‧‧‧The first receiver coil

1303‧‧‧Centerline

1304‧‧‧second receiver coil

1305‧‧‧Centerline

1400‧‧‧Charging system

1402‧‧‧Stacked receiver

1404‧‧‧Stacked receiver

1405‧‧‧Stacked transmitter coil

1406‧‧‧ First receiver coil

1408‧‧‧second receiver coil

1410‧‧‧ First receiver coil

1412‧‧‧second receiver coil

1502‧‧‧ block

1504‧‧‧ block

1506‧‧‧ block

1508‧‧‧ block

1510‧‧‧ block

1512‧‧‧ block

1514‧‧‧ block

1600‧‧‧Flowchart

1602‧‧‧ block

1604‧‧‧ block

1606‧‧‧ block

A‧‧‧Node

B‧‧‧ Node

D‧‧‧Distance / Size

H‧‧‧Distance

L‧‧‧Overall length

W‧‧‧Overall width

X‧‧‧Space

FIG. 1 is a simplified diagram illustrating a wireless charging station according to an embodiment of the present invention.

2A is a simplified diagram illustrating a transmitter coil according to some embodiments of the present invention.

2B is a simplified diagram illustrating a transmitter coil according to an embodiment of the present invention.

3A is a simplified diagram illustrating a pair of transmitter coils in a parallel configuration as configured in FIG. 2A according to an embodiment of the present invention.

3B is a simplified diagram illustrating a pair of transmitter coils in the vertical configuration as configured in FIG. 2A according to an embodiment of the present invention.

4 is a simplified diagram illustrating a pair of transmitter coils in a parallel configuration as configured in FIG. 2B according to an embodiment of the present invention.

5 is a schematic diagram illustrating a side cross-section of a wireless charging station according to an embodiment of the present invention 化 图。 Figure.

6A is a simplified diagram illustrating a receiver according to an embodiment of the present invention, the receiver including a core and a coil wound around the core.

6B is a simplified diagram illustrating a receiver according to an embodiment of the present invention, the receiver including a core and a coil wound around the core and disposed under the core.

7A is a simplified diagram illustrating a receiver according to an embodiment of the present invention, the receiver including a coil having an elliptical loop portion and a shielding disc disposed above the coil.

7B is a simplified diagram illustrating a receiver according to an embodiment of the present invention, the receiver including a coil having a bow-tie-shaped loop portion and a shielding disc disposed above the coil.

7C is a simplified diagram illustrating a cross-sectional view of a receiver according to an embodiment of the present invention, the receiver including a coil having a loop portion and a shielding disc.

7D is a simplified diagram illustrating a cross-sectional view of a magnetic field propagating through a receiver according to an embodiment of the present invention, the receiver including a coil having a loop portion and a shielding disc.

8 is a simplified diagram illustrating a receiver interacting with a transmitter in a wireless charging station in X and Z directions according to an embodiment of the present invention.

9 is a simplified diagram illustrating a receiver interacting with a transmitter in a wireless charging station in X and Y directions according to an embodiment of the present invention.

10 is a simplified diagram illustrating a charging surface configured to selectively power certain transmitters closest to an electronic device according to an embodiment of the invention.

11 is a simplified diagram of a stacked transmitter according to an embodiment of the present invention.

12 is a simplified diagram illustrating a cross-sectional view of an exemplary stacked transmitter and the interaction of the generated magnetic field with receivers placed in various positions according to an embodiment of the present invention.

13 is a simplified diagram of a stacked receiver according to an embodiment of the present invention.

14 is a simplified diagram of a charging system including stacked receivers positioned above a plurality of stacked transmitters according to an embodiment of the present invention.

15 is a flowchart illustrating a method of forming a receiver according to an embodiment of the present invention Figure.

16 is a flowchart illustrating a method for charging an electronic device using a wireless charging station according to an embodiment of the present invention.

The embodiments describe a wireless charging system in which most of the charging surface (if not the entire area) charges the electronic device. The array of transmitter coils disposed below the charging surface can generate a time-varying magnetic field that can induce a current in the receiver of the electronic device or the docking station coupled to the electronic device. In some embodiments, each transmitter coil can simultaneously generate magnetic fields in different directions. For example, each transmitter coil can generate two magnetic fields in opposite directions. The parts of the transmitter coil can also interact with each other, so that the magnetic field generated in one part of the coil can be bent into another part of the coil.

In some embodiments, the magnetic field generated by each transmitter may also be bridged between the transmitter coils. For example, a magnetic field generated by a current traveling through a part of one transmitter coil may be bent into a part of another adjacent transmitter coil. Therefore, a magnetic field can be formed between the transmitter coils so that the magnetic field exists across the entire charging surface including the embedded transmitter coil array, while there is little or no drop in field strength over the area between adjacent coils.

In some embodiments, the receiver may include a coil, wherein when there is a magnetic field generated by the array of transmitters, a current is induced to generate a current for charging the electronic device. Specifically, in some embodiments, in addition to the magnetic field flowing between adjacent transmitter coils, the receiver may be configured to also utilize the magnetic field generated by the individual transmitter coils to generate current for charging the electronic device. The details of this type of wireless charging system are discussed in further detail in this article.

I. Wireless charging station

FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary wireless charging station 100 according to some embodiments of the invention. The wireless charging station 100 includes a charging surface 102. The charging surface 102 may be a device with a receiver A surface that can be parked on to wirelessly charge its battery. In some embodiments, the charging surface 102 may be a generally planar top surface of a charging structure (eg, a table with a charging surface 102 and a plurality of legs supporting the charging surface 102). In other embodiments, the charging surface 102 may include a curvature so that the area of the charging surface 102 is substantially non-planar. The curvature may be convex or concave, or may include multiple convex and concave profiles organized in a predetermined or random configuration.

In some embodiments, the wireless charging station 100 also includes transmitters 104 and 106. The groups of transmitters 104 and 106 may each include a plurality of coils. For example, the sets of transmitters 104 and 106 may each contain a number N of coils, as illustrated in FIG. 1. The number N may be any suitable number capable of allowing the transmitter group to cross the charging surface 102 (if not the entire area) to generate a majority of the magnetic field. In an embodiment, the sets of transmitters 104 and 106 may be disposed under the charging surface 102 and embedded in the charging station 100. Although the embodiment discusses two sets of transmitters 104 and 106, other embodiments are not limited to these configurations. For example, embodiments may be formed by more or less than two sets of transmitters.

In some embodiments, the transmitters 104 and 106 groups may have the same coil configuration. In other embodiments, the sets of transmitters 104 and 106 may have different coil configurations. For example, the transmitter 104 group may have more or fewer coils than the transmitter 106 group. In addition, the transmitter 104 group may have a different coil configuration (eg, vertical or parallel configuration) than the transmitter 106 group, as will be further discussed with respect to FIGS. 3A and 3B herein.

When a time-varying current is generated in the coil, a magnetic field can be generated by each of the coils in the transmitter 104 and 106 groups. For example, when AC current is generated in the coils, each coil can be configured to generate a time-varying magnetic field. In some embodiments, the aggregate time-varying magnetic field generated at the charging surface 102 by the sets of transmitters 104 and 106 can generate charging regions 108 and 110 that span most of the charging surface 102. For example, in some embodiments, charging regions 108 and 110 may occupy 50% to 100% of the total surface area of charging surface 102. In FIG. 1, the gap between the charging area 108 and the charging area 110 is shown. However, this is not intended to be limited Systemic. In some embodiments, the magnetic fields generated by the transmitter 104 group and the transmitter 106 group may overlap at the charging surface 102 (or even travel between each group).

When the receiver is placed on or near the charging surface 102, wireless charging can be performed. The receiver may be disposed within the receiving device 112, such as an electronic device that can be directly charged by the receiver or an docking station that can use the energy received by the receiver to charge another electronic device operatively coupled to the docking station. For example, if the receiver is placed in the docking station, the electronic device to be charged can be coupled to the docking station by a physical connector through which the charge from the docking station can be transferred to the electronic device. In some embodiments, the electronic device may receive power from the docking station via the second, separate inductive charging system. That is, the docking station may include a first receiver to wirelessly receive energy from one or more of the transmitters 104, 106 and a second receiver to wirelessly transmit energy from the docking station to the electronic device The two wireless transmitters of the docking station.

When the receiving device 112 is placed on the charging surface 102, the time-varying magnetic field generated by one or more coils in the transmitters 104 and 106 groups can induce a current in the receiver disposed in the receiving device 112. The induced current can then be rectified by the receiving device 112 to generate DC power and charge the battery. Due to the continuous magnetic field generated across the charging surface 102, the receiving device 112 can generate power when placed on almost any area of the charging surface 102. Unlike conventional wireless charging configurations, even when located between coils (such as between coils 104-1 and 104-2), the receiving device 112 can generate power due to the magnetic field traveling between the coils. In an embodiment, when placed over a coil (such as coil 104-3), another receiving device 116 may also generate power, because there may also be a magnetic field generated by coil 104-3. In addition, the receiver of the receiving device 112 may be configured to receive power in the form of a magnetic field generated in almost any direction, thereby allowing the receiving device 112 to be placed on the charging surface in many different orientations. The details of transmitter and receiver designs that can facilitate these charging capabilities will be discussed further in this article.

II. Transmitter

In an embodiment of the present invention, the "transmitter" may include a wire coil that generates a magnetic field when a current is generated in the coil. The direction of the magnetic field may depend on the direction of rotation of the current flowing through the coil (eg, clockwise or counterclockwise). For example, according to the right-hand rule (RHR), the counterclockwise flow of current will generate an upward magnetic field inside the coil. Conversely, a clockwise flow of current will generate a downward magnetic field inside the coil. The shape and configuration of the coil can directly affect the characteristics of the magnetic field generated by the transmitter.

A. Transmitter coil structure

2A is a simplified diagram illustrating an exemplary transmitter 200 according to an embodiment of the invention. The transmitter 200 may be used in the groups of transmitters 104 and 106 discussed herein with respect to FIG. 1. The transmitter 200 may be formed by a coil 202 that crosses itself to form a plurality of loop parts. For example, the coil 202 may form two loop parts: a first loop part 204 and a second loop part 206. The first loop portion 204 and the second loop portion 206 may be substantially similar in size and shape. In some embodiments, the first loop portion 204 and the second loop portion 206 may be mirror images of each other. In some embodiments, the coil 202 may include one turn (eg, as seen in FIG. 2). In some other embodiments, the coil 202 may have more than one turn, where each turn includes a first loop portion and a second loop portion.

In some embodiments, the first loop portion 204 and the second loop portion 206 can be electrically coupled together by the cross section 208. The crossing portion 208 may be a point where the coil 202 overlaps with itself, so that the current flowing through the first loop portion 204 can continue to flow through the second loop portion 206. Therefore, a single current may flow from node A to node B through coil 202, as illustrated in FIG. 2A. In some embodiments, the overlapping wire portions at the crossing portion 208 may be insulated from each other to minimize interference and / or prevent the occurrence of short circuits. For example, the coil 202 may be an insulated wire, or a patterned wire insulated by an insulating layer disposed between the crossing portions 208.

When the driving current 210 passes through the transmitter 200, a magnetic field can be generated by the coil 202. As an example, when the driving current 210 passes through the coil 202, the magnetic field 216 can be generated by the transmitter 200 And 218. According to the RHR, magnetic fields 216 and 218 in one direction can be generated according to the direction of current flow around the coil 202. In some embodiments, the direction of rotation of the current flowing around the second loop portion 206 may be opposite to the direction of rotation of the same current flowing around the first loop portion 204. For example, nodes A and B can be connected to a power source, and as shown in FIG. 2A, current 210 can flow from node A into coil 202, through intersection 208, around second loop portion 206, and again The cross section 208 wraps around the first loop section 204 and flows out of the coil at node B. Therefore, a counterclockwise current flow 212 may be formed in the first loop portion 204, and a clockwise current flow 214 may be formed in the second loop portion 206. When the bias of the power supply is reversed, current can flow through the coil 202 in the opposite direction, thereby generating a clockwise current flow in the first loop portion 204 and a counterclockwise current flow in the second loop portion 206.

Due to the current flow, the first magnetic field 216 can be generated in the first loop portion 204 and the second magnetic field 218 can be generated in the second loop portion 206. In some embodiments, the first magnetic field 216 is generated in a direction different from the second magnetic field 218. As an example, according to the RHR, when the applied bias voltage generates the current 210 shown in FIG. 2, it can be attributed to the counterclockwise current flow 212 to produce a direction that goes outside the page (such as by having a point in the center The first magnetic field 216 is indicated by a circle) and can be attributed to the clockwise current flow 214 resulting from the second magnetic field 218 that depends on the direction in the page (as indicated by a circle with an "X" in the center). When the bias applied by the power supply is reversed, the change in current direction can generate a magnetic field in the opposite direction, as described herein.

In some embodiments, the first magnetic field 216 and the second magnetic field 218 can be generated in completely opposite directions. Therefore, the angle between the first magnetic field 216 and the second magnetic field 218 may be approximately 180 degrees. However, in some embodiments, the first magnetic field 216 and the second magnetic field 218 in completely opposite directions may not be generated. This may be because the transmitter 200 is not completely flat due to manufacturing changes. In such embodiments, the angle between the first magnetic field 216 and the second magnetic field 218 may be greater or less than 180 degrees. In some embodiments, between the first magnetic field 216 and the second magnetic field 218 The angle of can be at least 135 degrees. In some other embodiments, the angle between the first magnetic field 216 and the second magnetic field 218 may be between 175 degrees and 185 degrees.

A portion of the first magnetic field 216 can be bridged across the transmitter 200. For example, as shown in FIG. 2A, the bridge field 220 of the first magnetic field 216 may bend across the intersection 208 and bend down to the second magnetic field 218 due to the opposite polarity between the first magnetic field 216 and the second magnetic field 218 In the area. In some embodiments, the bridge field 220 may extend a distance H away from the transmitter 200. The distance H may be set according to the distance between the transmitter 200 and the charging surface disposed above the transmitter 200. The distance H can be high enough to protrude above the charging surface so that the receiver on the surface can be within the generated magnetic field.

In some embodiments, the distance H can be changed by changing the distance D between the first loop portion 204 and the second loop portion 206. The distance D may represent the horizontal spacing between the edges of the loop portions (such as loop portions 204 and 206). A larger distance D may cause the magnetic field to protrude farther (eg, a larger distance H). Conversely, a smaller distance D may cause the magnetic field to protrude closer to the transmitter 200 (eg, a smaller distance H). Therefore, the distance D can be designed according to the target distance H, and the target distance H can be determined based on the distance between the transmitter 200 and the charging surface. The target distance H may be directly related to the thickness of the charging surface. For example, a thicker charging surface may require a larger distance D. Certain embodiments where, for example, the charging surface is the portion of the relatively thick upper surface (eg, between one-half inch and two inches thick) of the charging table that is sized and shaped to charge multiple devices simultaneously In the middle, the distance D can range between 1 inch and 12 inches. In a particular embodiment, the distance D of the charging surface that is approximately 1 inch thick may be approximately 3 inches.

As further illustrated in FIG. 2A, an embodiment of the transmitter 200 may have a bow-tie shape. That is, the portions of the first loop portion 204 and the second loop portion 206 may gradually narrow toward the intersection portion 208. In addition, the other portions of the first loop portion 204 and the second loop portion 206 may have straight edge profiles with relatively sharp corners. In some embodiments, the transmitter 200 may have an overall length L and an overall width W. In some embodiments, the transmitter 200 may have a length in a range between 1 inch and 24 inches, such as approximately 6 inches. Transmitter 200 of The overall width W may range between 1 inch and 12 inches, such as approximately 12 inches. In an embodiment, the transmitter 200 may have a square profile, where the length L and the width W are equal. In another embodiment, the transmitter 200 may have a rectangular outline, where the length L is different from the width W. For example, the transmitter 200 may have a length L that is twice its width W.

Although FIG. 2A illustrates an exemplary transmitter with a bow-shaped profile, other profiles are also contemplated herein. For example, other embodiments may have curved edge profiles and / or curved corners. In some embodiments, the transmitter structure may have a looped portion with a curved profile, such as an L-shaped looped portion, as shown in FIG. 2B.

2B illustrates an exemplary transmitter 222 having a loop configured to have a curved, L-shaped profile according to an embodiment of the invention. Similar to the transmitter 200, the transmitter 222 may be formed by a coil 224 crossing itself to form a plurality of loop parts (for example, two loop parts: a first loop part 226 and a second loop part 228). The first loop portion 226 and the second loop portion 228 are electrically coupled together by a cross section 530. The cross section 530 may overlap the transmitter 222 with itself so that the current flowing through the first loop section 226 may continue to flow The point of the second loop portion 228.

When the driving current 232 passes through the transmitter 222, a magnetic field can be generated by the transmitter 222. As an example, when the driving current 232 passes through the coil 224, the first magnetic field 234 and the second magnetic field 236 can be generated by the transmitter 222. According to the RHR, when the applied bias voltage generates the current 232 shown in FIG. 2B, the first magnetic field 234 may be generated in a direction out of the page due to the counterclockwise current flow 238, and the second magnetic field 236 may The clockwise current flow 240 is generated in the direction into the page.

As shown in FIG. 2B, the first loop portion 226 and the second loop portion 228 have curved profiles. Therefore, the horizontal portion of the first loop portion 226 may extend above the vertical portion of the second loop portion 228, as shown in FIG. 2B, and vice versa. The horizontal portion of the first loop portion 226 is extended above the vertical portion of the second loop portion 228 so that the left and right edges of the transmitter 222 include portions of the first loop portion 226 and the second loop portion 228. Therefore, each of the left and right edges of the transmitter 222 can generate magnetic fields extending in opposite directions. The opposite polarity of the magnetic field minimizes adverse coupling between adjacent transmitter coils, as will be discussed further herein.

Similar to the transmitter 200 in FIG. 2A, the transmitter 222 may also have an overall length L, an overall width W, and a distance D. In some embodiments, the size of each transmitter 222 may be related to the size of the charging surface. For example, in an embodiment where the charging surface has a length that is twice its width, the transmitter 222 may have a length L that is also twice its width. In addition, the thickness of the charging surface can indicate the distance D of the transmitter 222. A larger distance D may cause the magnetic field to protrude away from the transmitter 222 by a larger distance H. Therefore, the transmitter 222 may have a distance D in the range between 1 inch and 12 inches for a charging surface that is approximately 1 inch thick. In a particular embodiment, the distance D is approximately 3 inches. Therefore, the transmitter 222 can make the magnetic field protrude above the charging surface, so that the receiver can interact with the magnetic field.

B. Transmitter configuration

According to some embodiments, a transmitter with more than one coil may be used to generate a magnetic field at a charging surface (such as charging surface 102 in FIG. 1). For example, more than one coil can be placed adjacent to each other so that a magnetic field exists between the coils.

FIG. 3A illustrates an exemplary transmitter configuration in which two coils with bow-tie-shaped profiles are arranged adjacent to each other. As shown, the first coil 301 may be positioned laterally adjacent to the second coil 302 so that the two coils are configured parallel to each other. The first coil 301 may include a first loop portion 304 and a second loop portion 306. The current 318 flowing through the first coil 301 can generate a first magnetic field 308 and a second magnetic field 310. The portion 326 of the magnetic field 308 may bridge between the first loop portion 304 and the second loop portion 306. The second coil 302 may include a third loop portion 312 and a fourth loop portion 314. The current 320 flowing through the second coil 302 can generate a third magnetic field 322 and a fourth magnetic field 324. In some embodiments, the rotational flow of current through the third loop portion 312 may be the same as the rotational flow of current through the first loop portion 304. Therefore, the portion 328 of the magnetic field 322 may be between the third circuit portion 312 and the fourth circuit portion 314 bridging.

In some embodiments, the directions of the magnetic fields generated by the loop parts in the adjacent coils may be opposite to each other. For example, the magnetic field 310 generated by the second loop portion 306 and the magnetic field 322 generated by the third loop portion 312 may be in opposite directions. Due to its opposite polarity, the portion 316 of the magnetic field 322 can bridge between the coil 301 and the coil 302 and bend down into the second loop portion 306. Therefore, a magnetic field may exist in the space X between adjacent coils 301 and 302. In some embodiments, when placed on the area of the charging surface above the space between the coils and above the center of the coils, the receiver may generate power, as will be discussed further herein.

In some embodiments, as shown in FIG. 3A, adjacent coils may be configured in a parallel configuration. In some other embodiments, adjacent coils may be configured in a vertical configuration. FIG. 3B illustrates such a transmitter configuration where two coils are arranged perpendicular to each other. As shown, the second coil 332 is configured to be offset from the first coil 331 at an angle of approximately 60 degrees. In some embodiments, by placing two coils perpendicular to each other, undesirable coupling effects between adjacent coils can be mitigated. In addition, the coils 331 and 332 can be configured to have different geometries to minimize coupling. In embodiments where there are more than two coils, the transmitter configuration may include alternating geometric configurations between two different coil geometries. Other embodiments may minimize coupling by isolating the resonant components. Isolating resonance components can be performed by cutting off those components that are in resonance with each other.

Although modifying the transmitter configuration can reduce the coupling between the transmitters, other modifications can be performed instead. For example, modifying the contour of the loop portion can minimize unfavorable coupling. In an embodiment, the transmitter coil may be modified to have a curved L-shaped loop profile (ie, the profile in FIG. 2B) to minimize adverse coupling, as will be further discussed with respect to FIG. 4 herein.

4 illustrates an exemplary transmitter configuration in which two coils with curved L-shaped loop profiles are arranged adjacent to each other. As shown, the first coil 401 may be laterally adjacent to the first The two coils 402 are arranged so that the two coils are arranged parallel to each other. The first coil 401 may include a first loop portion 404 and a second loop portion 406; and the second coil 402 may include a first loop portion 408 and a second loop portion 410. As shown in FIG. 4, only the portions of the second loop portion 406 of the first coil 401 that are laterally adjacent to the portion of the first loop portion 408 of the second coil 402 can interact with each other. Therefore, the entire edges smaller than the coils 401 and 402 can interact with each other. In some embodiments, approximately half of the entire edges of the coils 401 and 402 can interact with each other. Due to the reduced interaction between the first coil 401 and the second coil 402, the unfavorable coupling may be less than other cases where the entire edges of the first coil and the second coil interact with each other (eg, the coil in FIG. 3A) , Thereby minimizing the coupling between the first coil 401 and the second coil 402.

Although FIGS. 3A, 3B, and 4 illustrate that the first coils 301, 302, and 401 are substantially the same as the second coils 331, 332, and 402, the embodiments are not limited thereto. For example, the first coil and the second coil may have different cross-sectional shapes and / or have different sizes. Therefore, in some embodiments, the first coil and the second coil may have different orientations, and also have different shapes. In addition, although FIGS. 3A, 3B and 4 illustrate that the first coils 301 and 331 and the second coils 302 and 332 are adjacent to each other, those skilled in the art should understand that the transmitter may have more than two coils. Therefore, the first coil and the second coil may not be adjacent to each other, but are away from each other due to the placement of one or more intermediate coils therebetween. Furthermore, in some embodiments, the transmitter may further include a ferromagnetic material (eg, a ferrite sheet material) to concentrate the magnetic field and guide the magnetic field based on the selected geometry based on the configuration of the receiver described in further detail herein ).

In other embodiments, the differential coils 412/414 may be placed around the outside of each transmitter coil 401 and 402. The differential coils 412/414 can enhance the magnetic field generation efficiency of each transmitter coil 401 and 402. In addition, the differential coils 412/414 can minimize the far-field magnetic field, but enhance the near-field magnetic field related to the z-direction of the transmitter coils 401 and 402 (ie, to the direction in and out of the page). Therefore, the conductive entity far from the transmitter coil may not be exposed or nominally exposed to the magnetic field generated by the transmitter coils 401 and 402, but close to the transmitter line The conductive entity of the circle may be substantially exposed to the magnetic field.

C. Transmitter operation

5 illustrates a side cross-sectional perspective view of a charging structure 500 including an upper charging surface 502 and a transmitter 504 having a plurality of transmission coils 504a to 504d according to some embodiments of the present invention. With reference to the three-dimensional space, the Z and X directions of the magnetic field are observable in FIG. 5, and the Y direction magnetic field, although present in the embodiment of FIG. 5, is not shown for ease of description. In FIG. 5, the charging structure 500 is illustrated as a table having a table top 503 supported by a plurality of legs 505. In some embodiments, the station may be located in a retail environment and used to display and charge multiple electronic devices for potential purchase. Depending on the placement and number of individual transmission coils included in the transmitter 504, the charging width 506 across the charging surface 502 may represent all or less than the upper surface of the table top 503. Additionally, in some embodiments, the size of one or more individual transmission coils, such as the coils 504a to 504d, is related to the size of the charging surface 502 as discussed above with respect to FIGS. 2A and 2B.

Although the charging structure 500 is shown in FIG. 5 as a table having a charging surface 502 supported by a plurality of legs, it should be understood that the charging structure 500 may be any structure having a charging surface 502 on which an electronic device can be placed. For example, in other embodiments, the charging structure 500 may be a charging pad sized and shaped for personal use (eg, to be placed on a table or similar surface). In addition, although the coils 504a to 504d are shown as embedded in the table top 503 of the charging structure 500 in FIG. 5, in other embodiments, the coil may be placed under the table top or embedded in other parts of the charging structure 503 ( For example, if the charging structure 500 is a charging pad, the coils 504a to 504d may be embedded in the pad). In the embodiment where the coils 504a to 504b are placed below the table top 503, the table top 503 may include a cover plate that extends far enough down around the table top 503 so that the coils 504a to 504b hide invisible edges (not shown ). In addition, the coils 504a to 504d may be embedded in a protective structure (not shown) attached to the top 503 of the stage having a single inlet to receive AC power. When current is driven to the coils 504a to 504d, magnetic fields 512 and 514 can be generated. Can maximize near field and minimize far field Field to maximize the strength of the magnetic field at the charging surface 502. As discussed herein, the dimension D of the coil as discussed in FIG. 2 can be designed to maximize the magnetic field in the near-field region.

According to some embodiments of the present invention, the magnetic field 512 generated above the transmitter 504 and the magnetic field 514 generated between the transmitters 504 may form a charging width 506 that spans most of the charging surface 502. Magnetic fields 512 and 514 can be generated so that at least a portion of the magnetic fields 512 and 514 are detectable across the charging width 506 above the charging surface 502. Therefore, unlike conventional charging areas, the charging width 506 may be substantially continuous across the surface, and allows the electronic device to be applied in areas where the coil of the charging surface 502 is not directly placed in the lower part (such as the area between the coils 504a and 504d) Charge.

In some embodiments, the coils 504a to 504d are coupled to a single power source. The power supply may be an AC (or pulsed DC) voltage or current source that produces a time-varying current. The time-varying current may thus generate time-varying magnetic fields 512 and 514. According to some embodiments of the invention, a single power signal may be provided to the coils 504a to 504d. In addition, the coils 504a to 504d may all be driven by the same clock source, so that the coils 504a to 504d operate in a single phase at the same frequency. Therefore, in some embodiments, it may not be necessary to generate multiple signals with different phases as required in a phased array system where multiple clock sources drive current to the antenna array. Therefore, the configuration of the coils 504a to 504d can result in a simpler magnetic field generating system. In some embodiments, a receiver with one or more coils may be configured to capture the magnetic fields 512 and 514 generated by the transmitter 504, where the magnetic fields 512 and 514 induce a current in the receiver coil. The details of these receivers are discussed further in this article.

In some embodiments, the coils 504a to 504d are coupled to more than one power source. In the embodiments described herein, any coupling configuration of the coils 504a to 504d and a power supply suitable for operation of the transmitter is envisaged. For example, the coils 504a to 504b may be coupled to the first power source, and the coils 504c to 504d may be coupled to the second power source. The power supplies can all have the same configuration and operate synchronously. Or alternatively, the power supply may have different types of configurations and operate asynchronously. For example, the first power supply may provide time-varying power at a different frequency than the second power supply flow. As an example, the first power source and the second power source may operate at a frequency that is offset from each other by one or more kHz.

III. Receiver

In an embodiment of the invention, the "receiver" may be an electrical component that includes one or more wire coils that can induce a current in the presence of a time-varying magnetic field. In some embodiments, the receiver can be directly incorporated into an electronic device that can use the induced current to charge the battery. In some embodiments, the receiver may be a portion of the docking station configured to transfer the generated power to the coupled electronic device by means of inductive charging or a wired connection.

As described herein, the power supply can drive the time-varying current to the transmitter coil. In response, the transmitter coil can generate a time-varying magnetic field. A time-varying magnetic field can induce a current in one or more coils of the receiver. The current can then be converted from AC to DC for charging the battery of the electronic device.

A. Receiver structure

Unlike conventional receivers that have only one coil for generating power from a magnetic field along one axis, a receiver according to some embodiments described herein may have more than one coil for self-time-varying in more than one direction The magnetic field generates electricity. FIG. 6A illustrates an exemplary receiver 600 according to an embodiment of the invention. In some embodiments, the receiver 600 may include three coils: a first coil 602, a second coil 604, and a third coil 606. Each coil can be placed around the core 608 in different directions so that when exposed to an anisotropic magnetic field, a current can be induced in at least one of the coils 602, 604, and 606. For example, as shown in FIG. 6A, the first coil 602 may be disposed around the first axis of the core 608 extending in the X direction, and the second coil 604 may be disposed around the second axis of the core 608 extending in the Y direction And the third coil 606 can be disposed around the third axis of the core 608 extending in the Z direction. In some embodiments, each of the first, second, and third axes may be substantially perpendicular to each other. As further shown in FIG. 6A, the coils 602, 604, and 606 may be placed above each other in a particular order. However, this is not intended to be limiting, as this is due to The coils 602, 604, and 606 can be placed in any suitable configuration.

In some embodiments, the coils 602, 604, and 606 of the receiver 600 are wound around the core 608. As shown in FIG. 6A, in some embodiments, the core 608 may be in the form of a rectangular prism. The rectangular prism can have a size ranging from 1 mm to 10 mm in thickness 610, 20 mm to 100 mm in width 612 and 1 mm to 50 mm in length 614. In some embodiments, rectangular prisms may have a size ranging from 4 mm to 5 mm in thickness 610, 50 mm to 70 mm in width 612 and 10 mm to 30 mm in length 614. In various embodiments, the core 608 may have any other suitable shape and size.

The core 608 may be formed of any suitable material capable of concentrating the magnetic field. For example, in one example, the core 608 may include a ferromagnetic material such as ferrite. The amount of magnetic material in the core can be adjusted to produce a core with a permeability (μ) ranging between 50 and 250 (eg, between 100 and 200).

The coils 602, 604, and 606 can be wound around the core 608 any suitable number of times so that sufficient power is generated when subjected to a magnetic field. Power can be generated by the induced current, and the resulting voltage is determined by the number of turns. The number of turns may depend on the voltage-to-current ratio in the corresponding receiver of the electronic device (for example, if the receiver 600 is installed in a docking station that wirelessly charges the electronic device) and the impedance matching network (ie, Z matching network ) Configuration. In some embodiments, the coils 602, 604, and 606 may be wound around the core between 1 and 10 times (such as 4 to 7 times). In some embodiments, each of the coils 602, 604, and 606 can be wound around the core 608 the same number of times. In other embodiments, one or more of the coils 602, 604, and 606 may be wound around the core 608 a different number of times than the other coils. The coils 602, 604, and 606 may be insulated from each other and from the core 608. In some cases, the coils 602, 604, and 606 are in the form of insulated wires. In other cases, the coils 602, 604, and 606 are formed of patterned wires insulated by a layer of insulating material. The details of how the receiver 600 is formed according to some embodiments are discussed in further detail herein.

Although FIG. 6A illustrates the receiver 600 as having all three coils wound around the core, the embodiment is not limited to these configurations. For example, one or more coils may not be wound around the core. Fig 6B illustrates an exemplary receiver 620 in which the coil is not wrapped around the core 628. As shown, the first coil 622 may be disposed around the first axis of the core 628 extending in the X direction, and the second coil 624 may be disposed around the second axis of the core 628 extending in the Y direction. The first coil 622 and the second coil 624 may be wound around the core 628. The third coil 626 may be disposed around the third axis of the core 628 extending in the Z direction, but the third coil 626 is disposed below the core 628. In some embodiments, a ferromagnetic plate (not shown) may be disposed between the core 628 and the third coil 626. The magnetic plate may help to concentrate the magnetic field in the Z direction to enhance the power generation of the third coil 626. Any of the coils 622, 624, and 626 may be positioned adjacent to the core 628 but not wrapped around it.

7A is a simplified diagram of an alternative exemplary receiver 710 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The receiver 710 may include three coils: a first coil 712, a second coil 714, and a third coil 716. The first coil 712 may be formed of a wire winding having a first loop portion 718 and a second loop portion 720, and the second coil 714 may be formed of a wire winding having a first loop portion 722 and a second loop portion 724. In an embodiment, the first coil 712 and the second coil 714 may each overlap with themselves near the midpoint between the respective first loop portions 718, 722 and the second loop portions 720 and 724. The overlapping wire portions near the midpoint can be insulated from each other to minimize interference and / or prevent the occurrence of short circuits. Therefore, a single current can flow through both the first loop portion and the second loop portion of each coil. In addition, each coil 712, 714, and 716 may be electrically isolated from each other so that there is minimal interference therebetween.

In an embodiment, the third coil 716 may be positioned around both the first coil 712 and the second coil 714. For example, the third coil 716 may surround both the first coil 712 and the second coil 714. In some embodiments, the third coil 716 may surround both the first loop portion 718 and the second loop portion 720 of the first coil 712, and the first loop portion 722 and the second loop portion 724 of the second coil 714 By. The diameter of the third coil 916 may be greater than the maximum distance between the ends of the first coil 712 or the second coil 714.

In an embodiment, the first coil 712 and the second coil 714 may each be located along the axis in. For example, the first coil 712 may be centered along the first axis 728 and the second coil 714 may be centered along the second axis 730. The first axis 728 and the second axis 730 may be offset from each other at an angle, such as a 90 degree angle as shown in FIG. 7A. In some embodiments, the first axis 728 and the second axis 730 may intersect at the center of the receiver 710 so that the loop portions 718, 720, 722, and 724 may be symmetrically placed around the center of the receiver 710. In an embodiment, the third coil 716 may be disposed around the third axis 732 positioned through the center of the receiver 710 and extending in a direction perpendicular to both the first axis 728 and the second axis 730.

As illustrated in FIG. 7A, the first coil 712 and the second coil 714 may each have a first loop and a second loop configured in an elliptical profile. However, the embodiments are not limited to these profiles. For example, the first loop and the second loop may have contours that are not elliptical, circular, square, rectangular, or any other loop contour. As an example, the first coil 712 and the second coil 714 may have a first loop profile and a second loop profile configured as a bow-tie profile, as shown in FIG. 7B, which illustrates an exemplary receiver 711. The receiver 711 may have a first coil 734 and a second coil 736. Similar to FIG. 7A, a third coil (not shown) may surround the first coil 734 and the second coil 736. In some embodiments, the third coil is substantially coplanar with the first coil 734 and / or the second coil 736. The first coil 734 may include a first loop portion 740 and a second loop portion 742, and the second coil 736 may include a first loop portion 744 and a second loop portion 746. Both the first loop portion and the second loop portion of the two coils may have a bow-shaped profile that gradually narrows toward the midpoint between the respective first loop portion and the second loop portion. In such embodiments, the bow-shaped loop profile minimizes the air gap between the first coil 734 and the second coil 736, thereby increasing the efficiency of the receiver 711 to generate current from the magnetic field. It should be understood that any suitable loop profile for interacting with the magnetic field is envisaged in this article.

Referring back to FIG. 7A, in an embodiment, the receiver 710 may also include a shielding disc 726 positioned on top of the first coil 712 and the second coil 714. The shielding disk 726 may have a structure complementary to the overall structure of the first coil 712 and the second coil 714. For example, block The disc 726 may have a circular structure such that its outer edge is adjacent to the outer radial edges of the first coil 712 and the second coil 714, as shown in FIG. 7A. In an embodiment, the shielding disc 726 may be formed of a ferromagnetic material (eg, a ferrite sheet material) used to concentrate the magnetic field and guide the magnetic field based on the configuration of the receiver according to the selected geometry. The shielding disk 726 may be used to guide the magnetic field through the first coil 712 and the second coil 714; in addition, the shielding disk 726 may have a thin structure to minimize the size of the receiver 710, as will be further discussed with respect to FIG. 7C herein .

7C is a simplified diagram illustrating a cross-sectional view of the receiver 710 according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown, the first coil 712 and the second coil 714 may be embedded in the substrate 730 disposed below the shielding disc 726. The substrate 730 may be any suitable substrate capable of accommodating and electrically isolating the embedded wire coil. As an example, the substrate 730 may be a printed circuit board (PCB). Due to the cross-sectional perspective view illustrated in FIG. 7C, the first coil 712 and the second coil 714 are illustrated as a series of circles. Therefore, the first loop portion 722 of the coil 712 can be represented by circles 712a and 712b, and the second loop portion 724 of the coil 712 can be represented by circles 712c and 712d. The second coil 714 may be represented by circles 714a and 714b, and the third coil 716 may be represented by circles 716a and 716b. The first, second, and third coils can be configured so that after interacting with the magnetic field, current can be generated in each coil immediately.

In an embodiment, at least two of the coils 712, 714, and 716 may be positioned in the same plane. As an example, the coils 712 and 716 may be positioned in the same plane. In other examples, all three of the coils 712, 714, and 716 may be positioned in the same plane. Placing the coils 712, 714 and 716 in the same plane enables the structure of the receiver 710 to be substantially low-profile, meaning that the Z height of the receiver 710 can be substantially small. For example, the overall Z height of the receiver 710 may be less than one millimeter thick. In an embodiment, the overall Z height of the receiver 710 may be approximately 0.5 mm. In such embodiments, the thickness of the shielding disc 726 may be less than the overall Z height of the receiver 710. It should be understood that although the thickness of the shielding disc 726 is less than the overall Z height of the receiver 710, the shielding disc 726 is not so thin that it cannot concentrate the magnetic field Medium and redirect. An example of such magnetic field redirection is illustrated in FIG. 7D. When the magnetic field 748 propagates at an angle relative to the plane of the first coil 712 or the second coil 714, respectively, the shielding disk 726 can redirect the magnetic field 748 through its structure. Therefore, the magnetic field 748 can propagate through the loop of the first coil 712 and the second coil 714 to induce current in the first coil 712 and the second coil 714. In an embodiment, the thickness of the shielding disk 726 may range from 0.2 mm to 0.5 mm. In a specific embodiment, the thickness of the shield disk 726 is 0.3 mm.

B. Receiver operation

According to some embodiments herein, the configuration of three coils placed around the core in three different directions allows the receiver to generate power when the receiver in the magnetic field is placed in any orientation. 8 and 9 illustrate the operation of the receiver when placed against the charging surface according to an embodiment of the present invention. Specifically, FIG. 8 illustrates receiver operation in the X and Z directions, and FIG. 9 illustrates receiver operation in the X and Y directions. The receiver in FIGS. 8 and 9 is illustrated as receiver 600 in FIG. 6A; however, it should be understood that any other type of receiver may be used instead. For example, the receiver 710 or the receiver 711 in FIGS. 7A and 7B may be used in place of the receivers in FIGS. 8 and 9, respectively.

As shown in FIG. 8, the receivers 801 a to 801 d disposed in a docking station or an electronic device (both not shown for ease of explanation) can be placed on the charging surface 811 of the charging structure 813. The receiver coils 804 and 806 can be disposed around the core 808 in the X and Z directions, respectively. The transmitter coils 805a to 805c each having a loop portion 807a and 807b can generate a time-varying magnetic field extending above the charging surface 811, such as magnetic fields 809a to 809c. The charging structure 813 is illustrated as a table with a top surface that is substantially planar, but any other charging structure 813 may be used. In addition, the transmitter coils 805a to 805c are illustrated as being embedded in the stage, but in other embodiments may be placed under the charging structure 813. Each of the receivers 801a to 801d is placed in a different position and / or orientation on the charging surface 811 to illustrate how the receiver can receive power from the magnetic fields 809a to 809e.

The receiver 801a is positioned in the loop portion (eg 807b) of the transmitter coil (eg 805a) Above. The magnetic field generated by the loop portion 807b may include a substantially vertical component (that is, along the Z direction). Therefore, current can be induced from these fields in the receiver coil 806a and can be used to generate power. Because the magnetic field may not be disposed at this position substantially along the X direction, current may not be generated in the receiver coil 804a, thus causing the receiver coil 804a to generate little to no power.

The receiver 801c is positioned between the transmitter coils 805b and 805c. Unlike conventional systems, the receiver 804c can receive power from the magnetic field disposed between the transmitter coils 805b and 805c. As shown, the bridge magnetic field 809d may be disposed between the transmitter coils 805b and 805c, and may include a substantially horizontal component. Therefore, current can be induced in the receiver coil 804c and can be used to generate power. Because the magnetic field 809d may not be disposed at this position substantially along the Z direction, current may not be generated in the receiver coil 806c, thus causing the receiver coil 806c to generate little to no power.

In addition to being placed flush against the charging surface 811 to generate power, the receiver 801 can also be tilted or even placed on its side and still generate power. For example, the receiver 801b is inclined toward the charging surface 811 at an angle 810 of less than 60 degrees (eg, 45 degrees). When tilted, current can be induced by the magnetic field 809c in both receiver coils 804b and 806b. In some embodiments, the portion of magnetic field 809d proportionally induces corresponding currents in both receiver coils 804b and 806b. When the angle 810 increases to a point that is completely perpendicular to the charging surface 811 (for example, the position of the receiver 801d), current may stop being induced in the receiver coil 804d, but may be more strongly induced in the receiver coil 806d Out. Therefore, the magnetic field 809e can induce a current in the receiver coil 806d, so that the receiver coil 806d can be used to generate power from the magnetic field 809e. Even if the receiver coil 806d is disposed around the Z direction relative to the core 808d, the receiver coil 806d is positioned around the X direction relative to the charging surface 811. Therefore, the receiver coil 806d can generate power from the magnetic field 809e.

Reference is now made to FIG. 9, which illustrates the receivers 901a to 901c parked on the charging surface 911 in the X and Y directions. The receivers 901a to 901c can be parked in different positions and in different orientations Charging surface 911. The receiver coils 904a to 904c and 902a to 902c may each be disposed around their respective cores 908a to 908c in the X and Y directions, respectively. The transmitter coils 905a to 905h each having loop portions 907a and 907b can generate a time-varying magnetic field (including magnetic fields 909a to 909c) extending above the charging surface 911. All magnetic fields may cooperate to form charging regions 912a and 912b that may overlap in some embodiments. In some embodiments, the transmitter coils 905a to 905h may be configured as an N × M array capable of producing a substantially rectangular charging area. In other embodiments, it is possible to form circular, elliptical, or other shapes of charging regions by configuring coils 905a to 905h in different patterns.

Each of the receivers 901a-901c is placed in a different position and / or orientation to illustrate how the receiver can generate power from the magnetic fields in the charging regions 912a and 912b.

The receiver 901a is disposed between the transmitter coils 905a and 905b. Unlike the conventional system, the receiver 901a can receive power from the magnetic field disposed between the transmitter coils 905a and 905b. As shown, the bridge magnetic field 909a may be disposed between the transmitter coils 905a and 905b, and may include a substantially horizontal component. Therefore, current can be induced in the receiver coil 904a and can be used to generate power. Because the magnetic field 909a may not be disposed at this position substantially along the Y direction, current may not be generated in the receiver coil 902a, thus causing the receiver coil 902a to generate little to no power.

In some embodiments, the receiver can also rotate at an angle less than or equal to 60 degrees and still generate power. The receiver 901b rotates in the X direction at an angle of less than 60 degrees (for example, 45 degrees). When rotating, current can be induced by the magnetic field 909b in both receiver coils 902b and 904b. In some embodiments, a portion of the magnetic field 909b induces a corresponding current in both receiver coils 902b and 904b. When the angle increases to a point that is completely perpendicular to the X direction (for example, the position of the receiver 901c), the current can stop being induced in the receiver coil 904c, but can be more strongly induced in the receiver coil 902c . Therefore, the magnetic field 909c may induce a current in the receiver coil 902c, so that the receiver coil 902c may be used to generate power from the magnetic field 909c. Even if the receiver coil 902c is placed around the Y direction with respect to the core 908c, connect The receiver coil 902c is also positioned around the X direction relative to the charging surface 911. Therefore, the receiver coil 902c can generate power from the magnetic field 909c.

Although the embodiments illustrate that the receivers 901a to 901c are located between the transmitter coils 905a to 905h, any one of the receivers 901a to 901c may also be placed in the area above the transmitter coils 905a to 905h to generate power. For example, the receiver 901c can be placed on the transmitter 905c so that the receiver 901c can generate power from the magnetic field 909d.

Therefore, as shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, according to embodiments of the present invention, the receiver discussed herein may generate power on the charging surface in any orientation. In some embodiments, this allows docking stations or electronic devices embedded with such receivers to not have to be placed above the transmitter coil in any particular orientation.

It should also be noted that in some embodiments, only certain transmitter coils 905a to 905h that are close enough to the receiver, such as any of the receivers 901a to 901c, can be selectively energized to produce at the receiver The magnetic field of the current is induced in at least one of the coils. The position of the receiver relative to the transmitter coils 905a to 905h can be determined in any number of ways. In some embodiments, the charging surface 911 may include sensors configured to identify the position and orientation of the electronic device that houses the receiver. For example, the capacitive sensor can be configured to detect contact between the housing of the electronic device and the capacitive sensor. In some embodiments, power consumption can be measured when all transmitter coils 905a to 905h are energized, and then only those transmitter coils 905a to 905h that have the largest change due to interaction with the receiving coil of the electronic device Can maintain energy supply.

One such example is shown in Figure 10. Specifically, FIG. 10 illustrates an exemplary charging surface 1000 configured to enable selective energization of transmitter coils 1005a to 1005h. The charging surface 1000 may be part of a wireless charging station, such as the charging structure 500 shown in FIG. 5 or the station 800 shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, or may be part of a wireless charging pad or other wireless charging structure. As shown in FIG. 10, the charging surface 1000 may include a transmitter coil 1005a to 1005h and a plurality of sensors 1022a to 1022h. 1000 charging surface A power distribution system 1007 configured to receive power from an alternating current (AC) power source 1021 (eg, from a wall outlet) and distribute AC power to one or more transmitter coils 1005a to 1005h may be included. In an embodiment, the power distribution system includes a controller 1020 coupled to the transmitter coils 1005a to 1005h and the sensors 1022a to 1022h. The controller 1020 may be configured to receive information from the sensors 1022a to 1022h and / or the transmitter coils 1005a to 1005h, and control the operation of the transmitter coils 1005a to 1005h in response to the received information. The sensors 1022a to 1022h may be any type of sensor that enables the charging surface to detect the presence and location of one or more electronic devices (such as electronic devices 1004 and 1006 on the charging surface). As an example, the sensors 1022a to 1022h may be capacitive sensors.

As shown in FIG. 10, individual electronic devices to be charged can be placed at various locations on the charging surface 1000. Sometimes, the device may be placed directly above or in close proximity to the individual coils illustrated in FIG. 10, such as the device 1004 being placed directly above the coil 1005c. At other times, the device may be placed between two or more coils illustrated in FIG. 10, such as device 1006 placed between coils 1005g and 1005h. In the first case, the presence of the electronic device 1004 can be detected by the sensor 1022c, and the sensor 1022c is sent to the controller 1020. The controller 1020 can then use this information and determine that the transmitter 1005c should be turned on to provide power to the device 1004 because the transmitter 1005c is closest to the electronic device 1004. In the second case, the presence of the electronic device 1006 can be detected by both sensors 1022g and 1022h, each of the sensors 1022g and 1022h can send information to the controller 1020, and the controller 1020 can then This information is used to determine that the transmitters 1005g and 1005h should be turned on to provide power to the device 1006.

Once the presence of the electronic device is detected, one or more verification procedures can be performed to ensure that the electronic device is a device suitable for receiving power from the transmitter coil. For example, after detecting the presence of an electronic device, a communication channel may be established between the controller 1020 and one or more electronic devices (eg, electronic devices 1004 and 1006). The electronic device can then be queried for its identification code to verify that the device is suitable for receiving power from the transmitter coil. Receiving and verifying After the identification code of the electronic device, a magnetic field can be generated by a transmitter coil close enough to the electronic device. If a communication channel with the electronic device cannot be established, it can be determined that the electronic device is not actually an electronic device or an electronic device suitable for receiving power from the transmitter coil. In this case, the transmitterless coil can be activated to generate a magnetic field to the electronic device. Performing verification procedures ensures that magnetic fields are not generated for objects that are not electronic devices that can receive the generated magnetic field, and that if the object is an electronic device, it is an electronic device that is configured to receive the generated magnetic field. In this way, no extra energy needs to be consumed to power the unused transmitter coils.

IV. Stacked transmitter and receiver coils

In some embodiments, the transmitter coils may be stacked on top of each other to provide the least charge-free area to the continuous charging area. 11 is a simplified diagram illustrating a top-down view of a stacked transmitter 1102 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The structure, current flow, and generation of the magnetic field may be similar to the transmitter coil 200 discussed herein with respect to FIG. 2A. The stacked transmitter 1102 may include a first transmitter coil 1104 and a second transmitter coil 1106 positioned above at least a portion of the first transmitter coil 1104. The first transmitter coil 1104 and the second transmitter coil 1106 may each be a transmitter coil having any suitable transmitter profile discussed herein, such as a bow-shaped profile, a curved L-shaped profile, or a rectangle as shown in FIG. 11 profile.

The first transmitter coil 1104 and the second transmitter coil 1106 can be horizontally offset from each other by a distance D, and the distance D can be selected so that the stacked transmitter 1102 can generate overlapping magnetic fields to form a charging region with the least free area (e.g. The distance between the charging regions 912a and 912b) in FIG. 9. In one embodiment, the distance D is a fraction of the entire width of the transmitter coil. For example, the distance D is a quarter of the width W of the first transmitter coil 1104. Although FIG. 11 shows that the first transmitter coil 1104 and the second transmitter coil 1106 are offset from each other in the horizontal direction, the embodiment is not limited thereto. The first transmitter coil 1104 and the second transmitter coil 1106 may be offset from each other in the horizontal direction, the vertical direction, or both the horizontal and vertical directions, as long as at least a portion of the second transmitter coil 1106 and the first transmitter coil 1104 Partial overlap is sufficient.

FIG. 12 is a simplified diagram illustrating a cross-sectional view of an exemplary stacked transmitter 1202 and its generated magnetic field interacting with a receiver 1208 placed in various positions. As shown, the receiver 1208 is placed in three positions: a first receiver position 1210, a second receiver position 1212, and a third receiver position 1214. It should be understood that although FIG. 12 illustrates three receiver positions stacked on top of each other, it is not intended to disclose that the receiver 1208 includes three individual receivers stacked on top of each other. Specifically, it is intended to disclose that the receiver 1208 is a single receiver that can be placed in three receiver positions that are offset from each other in the horizontal direction, that is, translationally offset from each other in the same horizontal plane.

In an embodiment, the stacked transmitter 1202 may include a ferrite shield 1203 and two transmitter coils: a first transmitter coil 1204 and a second transmitter coil 1206. The second transmitter coil 1206 may overlap at least a portion of the first transmitter coil 1204. Each coil may be embedded in a flexible substrate 1205 such as a printed circuit board. In an embodiment, the first transmitter coil 1204 may operate at a frequency orthogonal to the frequency at which the second transmitter coil 1206 operates, such that the magnetic field generated by the first transmitter coil 1204 and the second transmitter coil 1206 The magnetic field propagates in the opposite direction. In the example shown in FIG. 12, the first transmitter coil 1204 can operate in the 0 ° and 180 ° phases, and the second transmitter coil 1206 can operate in the 90 ° and 270 ° phases. In some embodiments, the stacked transmitter 1202 may carry a large amount of current during operation. Therefore, the size of the ferrite shield 1203 can affect the ferrite loss caused by the stacked transmitter 1202. In certain embodiments, increasing the thickness of the ferrite shield 1203 and / or increasing the distance between the ferrite shield 1203 and the first transmitter 1204 can minimize the ferrite loss. In some embodiments, the thickness of the ferrite shield 1203 may range between 3 mm and 5 mm, and the spacing may range between 15 mm and 25 mm. In one embodiment, the thickness of the ferrite shield 1203 is approximately 4 mm, and the pitch is approximately 20 mm.

When the receiver 1208 is placed in any one of the receiver positions 1210, 1212 and 1214 In the medium time, when interacting with the magnetic field generated by the stacked transmitter 1202, a corresponding current can be generated in one or more coils of the receiver. The phase of the generated current in the receiver 1208 may depend on the position of the receiver 1208 relative to the stacked coils 1204 and 1206 in the stacked transmitter 1202. As an example, when the receiver 1208 is placed in the first receiver position 1210, the receiver 1208 can be vertically aligned with the first transmitter coil 1204 so that the phase of the generated current in the receiver 1208 is 0 ° and 180 °. When the receiver 1208 is placed in the second receiver position 1212, the receiver 1208 can be vertically aligned with the second transmitter coil 1206 so that the phase of the generated current in the receiver 1208 is 90 ° and 270 °. In addition, when the receiver 1208 is placed in the third receiver position 1214, the receiver 1208 may be vertically positioned between the first transmitter coil 1204 and the second transmitter coil 1206, so that the generated current is at the receiver 1208 The phases in are 45 ° and 225 °.

In addition to stacked transistor coils as discussed herein with respect to FIG. 11, the receiver may also include stacked receiver coils, as shown in FIG. FIG. 13 is a simplified diagram of a stacked receiver 1300 having a first receiver coil 1302 and a second receiver coil 1304 overlapping the first receiver coil 1302. Similar to the receiver 710, each receiver coil 1302 and 1304 may include a first loop portion and a second loop portion for receiving a magnetic field. In an embodiment, the first receiver coil 1302 and the second receiver coil 1304 may be concentric with each other and oriented at an offset angle. When the stacked receiver 1300 is positioned in a magnetic field generated by a transmitter (such as the stacked transmitter 1102 in FIG. 11), the degree of the offset angle can be selected to maximize current generation. As an example, the degree of the offset angle may be 90 °, so that the center line 1303 of the first coil 1302 is perpendicular to the center line 1305 of the second coil 1304. It should be noted that any other offset angle degrees are contemplated herein to maximize the generation of current in the transmitter coil when the transmitter coils 1302 and 1024 are positioned in the magnetic field.

14 is a simplified diagram illustrating a charging system 1400 including stacked receivers 1402 and 1404 positioned above a plurality of stacked transmitter coils 1405. Stacked receivers 1402 and 1404 can each include two overlapping receiver lines positioned at an angle of 90 ° offset from each other ring. For example, the stacked receiver 1402 may include a first receiver coil 1406 and a second receiver coil 1408, and the stacked receiver 1404 may include a first receiver coil 1410 and a second receiver coil 1412. The stacked receiver with this coil configuration can receive power from the stacked transmitter coil 1405 in different rotational orientations. Depending on the angle of rotation, one or both receiver coils of the stacked receiver can receive power. For example, if the stacked receiver is positioned at an angle that is a multiple of 90 ° relative to the stacked transmitter coil 1405, one of its receiver coils will receive power. If the stacked receiver is positioned at any other angle that is not a multiple of 90 °, both of its receiver coils can receive power.

As shown in FIG. 14, the stacked receiver 1402 is positioned parallel to the stacked transmitter coil 1405, which is an angle that is a multiple of 90 °. Thus, a receiver coil, such as receiver coil 1406 of stacked receiver 1402, will receive power from stacked transmitter coil 1405. The stacked receiver 1404 is positioned at an angle that is not a multiple of 90 ° relative to the stacked transmitter coil 1405. As shown in FIG. 14, the stacked receiver 1404 is positioned at an angle of 45 ° relative to the stacked transmitter coil 1405. Thus, both the first receiver coil 1410 and the second receiver coil 1412 can receive power from the stacked transmitter coil 1405.

V. Method of forming receiver

15 illustrates a flowchart for manufacturing a wireless charging receiver according to some embodiments of the present invention. At block 1502, a core may be provided, such as core 608 in FIG. 6A. In some embodiments, the core may be a ferromagnetic core that can concentrate the magnetic field. The core may be in the shape of a rectangular prism, or any other shape suitable for maximizing the concentration of the magnetic field and compatible with the desired coil geometry.

At block 1504, a first insulating layer may be formed around the core. In some embodiments, the insulating layer may be a dielectric film having a dielectric constant suitable for electrically isolating conductive materials from each other. The insulating layer can be formed by a lamination process of pressing the insulating film layer around the core and then curing the insulating film. In other embodiments, the two halves of the first group can be fused together An insulating layer is formed. The two halves can each be a shell formed of an insulating material shaped to cover half of the underlying structure, such as the core. When the two halves are fused together, an insulating layer may be formed around the entire core.

At block 1506, a first coil may be formed on the first insulating layer. The first coil may be any of the three coils 602, 604, and 606 described herein with respect to FIG. 6A. In some embodiments, the first coil may be formed by any suitable patterning process. For example, the first coil can be formed by a laser direct structuring (LDS) process. In other embodiments, the first coil may be formed by depositing and etching a patterned seed layer and then performing an electroplating process to build up the structure of the first coil. Those skilled in the art should understand that any procedure capable of patterning the coil on the insulating layer can be utilized in the embodiments herein.

At block 1508, a second insulating layer may then be formed on the exposed surface of the first coil and the first insulating layer. As described herein, the second insulating layer may be laminated or may be formed by fusing the second set of two halves of the insulating shell. Thereafter, at block 1510, a second coil may be formed on the second insulating layer. The second coil may be any of the three coils 602, 604, and 606 described herein with respect to FIG. 6A. The second coil may be formed by any suitable deposition or patterning process, such as the deposition or patterning process described herein with respect to forming the first coil.

At block 1512, once the second coil is formed, a third insulating layer may be formed on the exposed surfaces of the second coil and the second insulating layer. Similar to the first insulating layer and the second insulating layer, the third insulating layer may be laminated or may be formed by fusing the third set of two halves of the insulating shell. Next, at block 1514, a third coil may be formed on the third insulating layer. The third coil may be any of the three coils 602, 604, and 606 described herein with respect to FIG. 6A, and may be any suitable as described herein with respect to forming the first coil and the second coil The third coil is formed by a deposition or patterning process.

If necessary, a fourth insulating layer may be formed over the exposed surfaces of the third coil and the third insulating layer to electrically insulate the third coil and / or protect the third coil during subsequent manufacturing steps Protection from damage. The fourth insulating layer can prevent unintentional shorting between the third coil and other conductive structures. In this way, the receiver can be properly protected and insulated from the external environment.

VI. How to charge the device

16 illustrates a flowchart 1600 for charging an electronic device according to an embodiment of the present invention. At block 1602, a charging surface including a transmitter having a plurality of transmitter coils may be provided. A plurality of transmitter coils can be placed below the charging surface, and can be configured to generate a plurality of magnetic fields in more than one direction when current is supplied. The generated magnetic field can penetrate the charging surface so that the magnetic field exists above the charging surface and can be accessed by the electronic device when placed on the charging surface. In some embodiments, a single AC (or pulsed DC) power source and clock can be used to drive multiple transmitter coils.

At block 1604, the electronic device may be placed on the charging surface. The electronic device may contain a receiver having a core and a plurality of receiver coils disposed around the core in different directions. The receiver can be configured to receive power from any orientation when placed in a magnetic field.

At block 1606, once the electronic device is placed on the charging surface, the electronic device may be left on the charging surface so that at least one of the plurality of magnetic fields is induced in at least one of the plurality of receiver coils Out current. For example, a magnetic field can induce current in two coils: one coil is placed around the Y direction, and the other coil is placed around the X direction. The current can be rectified in the electronic device and then used to charge the internal battery.

After the required amount of charge has been stored on the battery, then at block 1608, the electronic device can be removed from the charging surface. In some embodiments, the electronic device may be coupled to a docking station that includes a receiver and performs some or all of the functions performed by the electronic device described herein with respect to flowchart 1600.

Although the invention has been described with respect to specific embodiments, it should be understood that the invention is intended to cover all modifications and equivalents within the scope of the following patent applications. In addition to the scope of patent applications below, in some embodiments, a wireless charging station includes: The top, which has an upper surface on which one or more electronic devices can be placed; a wireless charging transmitter, which is positioned below the upper surface on the top of the table, the wireless charging transmitter is included on the upper portion of the top A plurality of transmitter coils defining a charging area at the surface, the plurality of transmitter coils including at least one first transmitter coil includes: a first loop portion; a second loop portion; and a crossing portion, which includes overlap Conductive paths, the overlapping conductive paths are electrically coupled to the first loop portion and the second loop portion, so that when a current can be generated in the first transmitter coil, the current flows in a first rotation direction Passing through the first loop part and flowing through the second loop part in a second rotation direction opposite to the first rotation direction; and a power distribution system, which is operatively coupled to the wireless charging transmitter, the The power distribution system is configured to receive power from an alternating current (AC) power source and distribute the power to the wireless charging transmitter.

When the current can be generated in the first transmitter coil: a first magnetic field can be generated by the current flowing through the first loop portion, the first magnetic field is characterized by a first direction; and a second magnetic field can be The current flowing through the second loop portion is generated, and the second magnetic field is characterized by a second direction different from the first direction. In some embodiments, an angle formed between the first direction and the second direction may be at least 135 degrees. The cross section may be a first cross section, and wherein the plurality of transmitter coils further includes a second coil configured to transmit power, the second coil includes: a third loop section; a fourth loop section ; And a second intersection portion, which includes overlapping conductive paths that electrically couple the third loop portion and the fourth loop portion so that when a current can be generated in the second coil, The current flows through the third loop portion according to the first rotation direction; and flows through the fourth loop portion according to the second rotation direction. When the current is generated in the first transmitter coil and the second coil, a bridge magnetic field can be generated in a region between the first transmitter coil and the second coil. The bridge magnetic field can be bent between the second loop portion and the third loop portion. In some embodiments, the first loop portion may have a first horizontal portion and a first vertical portion, and the second loop portion There may be a second horizontal portion and a second vertical portion. The first horizontal portion may extend above the second vertical portion, and the second horizontal portion may extend below the first vertical portion. The power distribution system may include a controller configured to communicate with one of the one or more electronic devices.

In some embodiments, a wireless charging receiver for interacting with a wireless charging retail station includes: a first coil positioned relative to a first axis; and a second coil positioned relative to a second axis And arranged, the second axis extends in a direction different from the first axis; and a ferromagnetic structure, which is positioned adjacent to the first coil and the second coil, wherein the first coil and the second coil And the ferromagnetic structure is configured to receive the magnetic field generated by a transmitter of the wireless charging retail station.

The wireless charging receiver can be wrapped in a docking station. The docking station can be configured to park on one of the charging surfaces of the wireless charging retail station. The docking station can be configured to connect to an electronic device to provide power to the electronic device. The wireless charging receiver may further include a third coil disposed relative to a third axis, the third axis extending in a direction different from the first axis and the second axis. The second axis may extend in a direction between 45 degrees and 135 degrees from the first axis, and the third axis may follow a direction between 45 degrees and 135 degrees in the first axis and the second axis extend. The second axis may be perpendicular to the first axis, and the third axis may be perpendicular to the first axis and the second axis.

In some embodiments, a wireless charging system includes: a top having an upper surface on which one or more electronic devices can be placed; and a wireless charging transmitter positioned below the upper surface on the top of the table The wireless charging transmitter includes a plurality of transmitter coils defining a charging area at the upper surface of the top of the stage, and the plurality of transmitter coils including at least a first transmitter coil includes: a first loop portion; A second loop portion; and a crossing portion, which include overlapping conductive paths that electrically couple the first loop portion and the second loop portion so that when generated in the first transmitter coil When a current flows, the current flows through the first in a first rotation direction The loop portion, and flows through the second loop portion in a second rotation direction opposite to the first rotation direction; and a power distribution system, which is operatively coupled to the wireless charging transmitter, the power distribution system can It is configured to receive power from an alternating current (AC) power source and distribute the power to the wireless charging transmitter. The wireless charging system also includes a wireless charging receiver. The wireless charging receiver includes: a first coil positioned relative to a first axis; a second coil positioned relative to a second axis, the The second axis extends in a direction different from the first axis; and a ferromagnetic structure, which is positioned adjacent to the first coil and the second coil, wherein the first coil, the second coil and the ferromagnetic The structure is configured to receive the magnetic field generated by the plurality of transmitter coils.

The wireless charging system may also include a plurality of sensors configured to detect the presence of one of the electronic devices. The power distribution system may include a controller coupled to the plurality of sensors and the plurality of transmitter coils. The controller may be configured to selectively power one or more transmitter coils in response to the detected presence of the electronic device. The wireless charging receiver can be wrapped in a docking station.

901a‧‧‧Receiver

901b‧‧‧Receiver

901c‧‧‧Receiver

902a‧‧‧Receiver coil

902b‧‧‧ Receiver coil

902c‧‧‧ Receiver coil

904a‧‧‧Receiver coil

904b‧‧‧Receiver coil

904c‧‧‧Receiver coil

905a‧‧‧Transmitter coil

905b‧‧‧Transmitter coil

905c‧‧‧Transmitter coil

905d‧‧‧Transmitter coil

905e‧‧‧Transmitter coil

905f‧‧‧Transmitter coil

905g‧‧‧Transmitter coil

905h‧‧‧Transmitter coil

907a‧‧‧Circuit part

907b‧‧‧Circuit part

908a‧‧‧Core

908b‧‧‧Core

908c‧‧‧Core

909a‧‧‧magnetic field

909b‧‧‧magnetic field

911‧‧‧Charging surface

912a‧‧‧Charging area

912b‧‧‧Charging area

Claims (20)

A wireless charging transmitter includes: a coil configured to transmit power, the coil including: a first loop portion; a second loop portion; and a cross portion, including overlapping conductive paths, the overlaps The conductive path is electrically coupled to the first loop part and the second loop part, so that when a current is generated in the coil, the current: flows through the first loop part in a first rotation direction; and according to A second rotation direction opposite to the first rotation direction flows through the second circuit portion. The transmitter of claim 1, wherein the first loop portion and the second loop portion are characterized by substantially the same shape and size. The transmitter of claim 1 or 2, wherein when the current is generated in the coil: a first magnetic field is generated by the current flowing through the first loop portion, the first magnetic field is characterized by a first direction; And a second magnetic field is generated by the current flowing through the second loop portion. The second magnetic field is characterized by a second direction different from the first direction. The transmitter of claim 3, wherein the first direction and the second direction extend in opposite directions. The transmitter of claim 1 or 2, wherein the coil is a first coil, wherein the cross section is a first cross section, and wherein the transmitter further includes a second coil configured to transmit power, the The second coil includes: a third loop part; a fourth loop part; and A second intersection portion, which includes overlapping conductive paths, the overlapping conductive paths electrically coupling the third loop portion and the fourth loop portion so that when a current is generated in the second coil, the current: Flowing through the third circuit portion according to the first rotation direction; and flowing through the fourth circuit portion according to the second rotation direction. The transmitter of claim 5, wherein when the current is generated in the first coil and the second coil, a bridge magnetic field is generated in a region between the first coil and the second coil. The transmitter of claim 6, wherein the bridge magnetic field is bent between the second loop portion and the third loop portion. The transmitter of claim 5, wherein the second coil overlaps at least a portion of the first coil. The transmitter of claim 1 or 2, wherein the first loop portion has a first horizontal portion and a first vertical portion, and the second loop portion has a second horizontal portion and a second vertical portion. The transmitter of claim 9, wherein the first horizontal portion extends above the second vertical portion, and wherein the second horizontal portion extends below the first vertical portion. A wireless charging receiver comprising: a first coil, which is arranged relative to a first axis; a second coil, which is arranged relative to a second axis, the second axis is different from the first axis Extending in one direction; and a ferromagnetic structure, which is positioned adjacent to the first coil and the second coil. The wireless charging receiver according to claim 11, further comprising a third coil disposed relative to a third axis, the third axis extending in a direction different from the first axis and the second axis. The wireless charging receiver of claim 12, wherein the second axis is perpendicular to the first An axis, and wherein the third axis is perpendicular to the first axis and the second axis. The wireless charging receiver of claim 11 or 12, wherein the first coil is disposed around the ferromagnetic structure, and wherein the second coil is disposed around the ferromagnetic structure and the first coil. The wireless charging receiver of claim 11 or 12, wherein the first coil is positioned along the first axis, and the second coil is positioned along the second axis. The wireless charging receiver of claim 15, wherein each of the first coil and the second coil includes two loop parts. The wireless charging receiver of claim 15, wherein the ferromagnetic structure is a shielded disc positioned above the first coil and the second coil. A wireless charging system includes: a transmitter assembly including: a charging surface; and a plurality of transmitter coils disposed below the charging surface, the plurality of coils including: a first transmitter coil and a second The transmitter coil, which is configured to transmit power, when driven by current, the first coil generates a first magnetic field and a second magnetic field, and the second coil generates a third magnetic field and a fourth magnetic field, the first transmission The transmitter coil and the second transmitter coil form a bridging magnetic field disposed between the first transmitter coil and the second transmitter coil; a receiver assembly includes: a first coil, which is opposite to a Placed on a first axis; a second coil placed relative to a second axis, the second axis extending in a direction different from the first axis; and a ferromagnetic structure, which is adjacent to the first coil And the second coil. The wireless charging system of claim 18, further comprising a third receiver coil disposed relative to a third axis, the third axis being substantially perpendicular to the first axis and the second axis. The wireless charging system of claim 18 or 19, wherein each transmitter coil has a length and a width, wherein the length is related to a dimension of the charging surface.